Golf ball holder

ABSTRACT

A holder for golf balls, said holder comprising a tube open at least at one end, said tube having an internal diameter less than the diameter of a golf ball and being composed of a resilient material which is able to expand when a ball is inserted into the tube, the characteristics of the material being such that a ball is inserted into the tube the tube will neck in front of and behind the ball whereby to retain the ball within the tube against accidental discharge through the open end.

The present invention relates to a golf ball holder and moreparticularly to a golf ball holder which enables golf balls to be heldsecurely or while permitting ease of dispense when required.

According to the present invention, there is provided a holder for golfballs, said holder comprising a tube open at least at one end, said tubehaving an internal diameter less than the diameter of a golf ball andbeing composed of a resilient material which is able to expandelastically when a ball is inserted into the tube, the characteristicsof the material being such that when a ball is inserted into the tube,the tube will expand elastically and will neck in front of and behindthe ball whereby to retain the ball within the tube against accidentaldischarge through the open end.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball holder in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the invention shown in a condition prior toloading with golf balls; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the holder when loaded with golfballs.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a golf ballholder 2 is of tubular form fabricated from an elastically-deformablecomposite material consisting of a resilient foam 4, laminated with afabric material 6, the fabric 6 being at the outer surface of the tube.As shown, the tube is open at each end although in an alternativeconstruction it may be open only at one end. Preferably, the foam 4 is aclosed cell foam to prevent penetration of water through the wall of thetube. In one preferred form, the foam is composed of neoprene althoughother resilient plastics foams may alternatively be used. The internaldiameter of the tube is somewhat less than the diameter of a standardgolf ball (1.68 inches) whereby when a ball is inserted into the tubethrough one end the tube will expand circumferentially in order toretain the ball within the tube. However. the internal diameter of thetube must not be excessively smaller than the diameter of the ballotherwise insertion of the ball into the tub e becomes too difficult. Wehave found that an internal tube diameter of around 1.25 inches providesa sufficient opening size to facilitate insertion of the ball into thetube while enabling sufficient expansion to ensure that the ball issecurely held within the tube against accidental dislodgement.

The covering of fabric 6 which is laminated to the foam 4 and which liesat the outer surface of the cube provides an important part in thefunctioning of the holder in the preferred embodiment as will now bedescribed. The fabric 6 is a knitted fabric, the wales of the stitchesbeing so oriented relative to the axis of the tube that the fabricpermits greater elasticity in the axial direction of the tube than inthe circumferential direction of the tube. In other words the tube iseasier to stretch in its lengthwise direction than in itscircumferential direction. As a result of this differential expansioncapability, when a ball is inserted into the tube the tube tends to“neck” in front of and behind the ball whereby there is contact betweenthe inner surface of the tube and the surface of the ball over asubstantial arc length of the ball surface when considered in the axialdirection of the tube and this ensures that the ball is securely heldwithin the tube against unintended axial displacement. In the particularform shown, the tube is designed to hold three golf balls. FIG. 2illustrates the configuration adopted by the tube when loaded with thethree balls and the “necking” effect just described can clearly be seenin front of and behind each of the balls.

At its upper end the tube carries a ring 8 or other fastener forreceiving a clip which enables the holder 2 to be hung from a golf bagor from a belt. The retention of the balls within the tube is such thatwhen the tube is suspended approximately vertically the ball will notfall from the tube even when subjected to substantial shaking as mayarise when a golf buggy is moving over rough ground. In order to removea ball when required, all that is necessary is for the user to squeezethe tube behind the outermost ball and this will cause that ball to beexpelled without displacing the other ball or balls within the tube.

The tube is fabricated by cutting a rectangular panel out of a sheet ofcomposite foam/fabric material and then bending the panel into tubularform with the edges abutting to form a longitudinal seam which is heldby application of a longitudinal strip 12 across the seam.

The fabric layer at the outer surface of the tube also enables the tubeto be supplied in a range of different colours which can be printed withindicia such as manufacturer's names or logos or other promotionalmaterial.

Although the construction of a knitted fabric enables the requiredstretch capabilities to be achieved, other types of fabric constructedto provide a similar effect may alternatively be used, for example awoven fabric composed of elastic yarns.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless thecontext requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, or variations such as“comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusionof a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of anyother integer or group of integers.

The embodiment has been described by way of example only andmodifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A holder for golf balls, said holder comprising atube open at least at one end, said tube having an internal diameterless than the diameter of a golf ball and being composed of a resilientmaterial which is able to expand elastically when a ball is insertedinto the tube, the tube will expand elastically and will neck in frontof and behind the ball whereby to retain the ball within the tubeagainst accidental discharge through the open end, wherein the tube iscomposed of a resilient foam material, and wherein the foam material islaminated with a fabric which lies at the outside of the tube, thefabric being such as to provide the tube with greater resilience in itsaxial direction than in its circumferential direction.
 2. A golf ballholder according to claim 1, wherein the foam is a close cell foam.
 3. Agolf ball holder according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is a knittedfabric, with the wales of the stitches being oriented to provide greaterresilience in the axial direction than in the circumferential direction.4. A golf ball holder according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is awoven fabric including elastic yarns.
 5. A golf ball holder according toclaim 1, wherein the fabric is capable of being printed with indicia. 6.A golf ball holder according to claim 1, wherein the tube is open ateach end and is fabricated by cutting a rectangular panel of saidresilient material and folding the panel into tubular form to form alongitudinal seam with abutting edges.